DAVID M. BOYD, a well-known and popular citizen of West Middletown, is a grandson of David Boyd, whose father, John Boyd, was born in Ireland. This John Boyd came to America when but a lad, and settled in Cumberland county, Penn., where he was married to Mary Urie, who bore him four children: David, John, Sarah and Rhoda. While John Boyd the pioneer was on a business trip to the house of Stewart, his children were all captured by the Indians, and his wife scalped and killed. The husband and father, on returning to his little home, found his cabin in flames, and the mutilated body of his wife lying upon the ground. The children were nowhere in sight, and the agonized father, after a frantic but almost hopeless search, gave up the quest and mourned them as dead. Meanwhile the little ones had been carried off by the Indians. The son John and the two daughters were never heard from afterward, but David was taken to Fort Du Quesne in 1758. He was then returned by the old Indian who adopted him, and remained with his father at Carlisle, Penn. As may be supposed, the young man had little love for the Redskins who had so wantonly destroyed the home of his boyhood, and he became an active soldier in the Indian war. He enlisted under Washington, and served through the entire contest, being present at the surrender of Burgoyne and, later, at that of Cornwallis at Yorktown in 1781. After the close of the war David Boyd returned to Cumberland county, Penn., and was there married to Elizabeth Henderson, who bore him children as follows: James, John, Thomas, David, William, Nancy, Sarah, Elizabeth and Nellie. David Boyd and his family came to Washington county in 1787, and settled on the farm now occupied by W. W. Dinsmore. In politics Mr. Boyd was first a Jacksonian Democrat, afterward an ardent Whig. He was an active politician, and served as justice of the peace twenty-five years. He was for many years a member of the Buffalo Presbyterian Church of Hopewell township. He died in 1830. John Boyd, father of subject, was born in 1784, in Cumberland county, Penn., but was reared and educated in Hopewell township, this county. In early life he was married to Asenath, daughter of Eleven Williams, of Buffalo township, and the following children were born to them: Hester (married to Ellis Jones, and moved to Missouri), David M., Christiana (married to Amos Clemens), Elizabeth (Mrs. Dr. McCabe), Sarah (Mrs. Cox, of Kansas City), Caroline (widow of John Dougherty), Parmelia (died in 1853, wife of Hugh Wilson), James (died in 1842), Nancy J. (wife of Hugh Clark, of Wheeling, W. Va.), John Q. A. (married to Eliza Black) and Asenath (Mrs. John Canon). Mr. Boyd served in the war of 1812. In early life he learned the carpenter's trade, which he followed many years, and also kept an hotel eight years. He took an active part in public affairs, and was an ardent Republican, serving as justice of the peace twenty-five years, He died in 1866, his wife in 1868, and both lie buried in the Union Grove cemetery. David M. Boyd, son of John and Asenath (Williams) Boyd, was born March 23, 1810, at West Middletown, Hopewell township, and there received his early education. On May 10, 1844, he was married to Eliza Boyd, who bore him three children: Cassius, Ruth and Thomas. The mother died in 1865, and on May 3, 1866, Mr. Boyd was united in marriage with Anna McNulty, of Columbus, Ohio, who died in 1887. In early life he learned the carpenter's trade, which he followed twenty-five years, and was then (1853) appointed postmaster at West Middletown. He held that position eight years, and has since followed mercantile business. Politically he was a Democrat from 1845 to 1861, but upon the organization of the Republican party became a member of it. He has held all the political offices of the borough, has been a member of the school board for twenty years, and justice of the peace twenty-five years. In religion he was formerly a member of the M. E. Church, but is now connected with the Presbyterian Church of Buffalo.

Text taken from page 902 of: Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893). Transcribed March 1997 by Neil and Marilyn Morton of Oswego, IL as part of the Beers Project. Published March 1997 on the Washington County, PA pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.

[ [Back to Beers Table of Contents] [Back to Beers Project Page]